It’s Not Going to Get Better (2024)
This body of work explores themes of nihilism, classism, and existentialism in my city of birth, Gaborone. I created this project in the lead-up to the 2024 Botswana general elections, which were characterized by youth angst and disillusionment with the current state of the economy and civil society in Botswana, which has been marred by corruption, economic inequality, and social exclusion.
I aimed to create a series of staged tableaux, landscapes, and still-life images that illustrate the everyday social dread and marginalization experienced by Batswana. My photographic work is collaborative, involving my family and close friends who share their experiences, stories, and memories with me. As an artist, I interpret these narratives through my lens. While some images are highly staged or fictional, others are grounded in reality, featuring people I know personally in their everyday situations. In both instances, the subjects of my images serve as conduits for broader social contexts in Botswana, reflecting issues related to social class, gender, and age. Throughout this series of images, I aimed to create counter-propaganda that challenges the mainstream narrative of Botswana as a highly stable, democratic, and economically prosperous nation.
The title of this project suggests that circumstances are unlikely to improve. In my visual work, I don’t aim to provide solutions; instead, I ask why things aren’t getting better, who is affected by this stagnation, and how those individuals cope with their circumstances. Ultimately, the way forward remains unclear; it is a mystery, and that ambiguity is central to my work.
During pre-colonial Africa and even during the liberation struggles on the continent, people organized around collective goals. However, that sense of unity seems to have diminished. Today, issues are more individualized, leading to greater isolation and an increase in nihilism. I use duality as a tool to illustrate this crisis of individuality and class disparity. In my work, the plight of working-class individuals trapped in hopeless situations is contrasted with that of aristocrats, who, despite having everything, stand atop their balconies—and above others—experiencing a different kind of emptiness.
I aimed to create a series of staged tableaux, landscapes, and still-life images that illustrate the everyday social dread and marginalization experienced by Batswana. My photographic work is collaborative, involving my family and close friends who share their experiences, stories, and memories with me. As an artist, I interpret these narratives through my lens. While some images are highly staged or fictional, others are grounded in reality, featuring people I know personally in their everyday situations. In both instances, the subjects of my images serve as conduits for broader social contexts in Botswana, reflecting issues related to social class, gender, and age. Throughout this series of images, I aimed to create counter-propaganda that challenges the mainstream narrative of Botswana as a highly stable, democratic, and economically prosperous nation.
The title of this project suggests that circumstances are unlikely to improve. In my visual work, I don’t aim to provide solutions; instead, I ask why things aren’t getting better, who is affected by this stagnation, and how those individuals cope with their circumstances. Ultimately, the way forward remains unclear; it is a mystery, and that ambiguity is central to my work.
During pre-colonial Africa and even during the liberation struggles on the continent, people organized around collective goals. However, that sense of unity seems to have diminished. Today, issues are more individualized, leading to greater isolation and an increase in nihilism. I use duality as a tool to illustrate this crisis of individuality and class disparity. In my work, the plight of working-class individuals trapped in hopeless situations is contrasted with that of aristocrats, who, despite having everything, stand atop their balconies—and above others—experiencing a different kind of emptiness.